Auto theft alarm



J. L. CROSSER.

AUTO THEFT ALARM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1920.

Patented Aug. 8 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

J. L. CROSSER.

AUTO THEFT ALARM.

1 APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1920.

Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

a suns-swan 2.

J. L. CROSSER.

AUTO THEFT ALARM.

,APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1920 1,424,993, PatentedAfig. 8,1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

(FHA E s fg y i m narrate stares AUTO THEFT ALARM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. s, 1922.

Application filed May 8, 1920. Serial No. 379,929.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, JoHN L. CRossER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tulsa,-in the county of Tulsa and State of Oklahoma, have invented a new and useful Auto Theft Alarm, of which the following is a specification. I

' This invention'relates to devices for preventing theft or unauthorized use of an automobile and has for its object the provision of a simple inexpensive attachment that may be installed in the electrical system of a motor vehicle, either by the manufacturer, as a part of the system or later be attached by the owner of the car.

It is further the object of the invention to provide means whereby with the device in operative position an alarm will be sounded should a person close the ignition switch, or tamper with the device in an attempt to remove the cover therefrom, or should he cut the wires leading from the device to the storage battery, in either case the alarm will continue to sound until the rightful owner arrives and unlocks the device.

With these and other .objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more particularly pointed out and claimed, it being understood that minor changes may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing specification v Figure 1 is a diagrammatical rear elevation of the device;

Figure 2 is a transverse section through the instrument board of a motor vehicle showing the device attached thereto;

Figures 3 and tare detail views'of the cover securlng means; 1 i v I Figure 5 is a view of the device partly in section and partly in elevation the same being taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1. Figure 6 is a side elevation of the device in locked position, there being parts broken away. I

' eferring to the drawing by characters of forming a part of this reference the numeral 1 designates the-instrument board of a motor vehicle, the board being provided with the usual equipment to be found on the modern automobile, the ignition switch being designated by the numeral 2. A plate 3 of non-conducting material is attached to the board 1 on the rear side thereof by means of bolts 1 and spacing sleeves 5, nuts 6 are threaded on the bolts 4 and a cotter pin 7 prevents the removal of the nut. 1 I v 1 A barrel 8 of nonconducting material is eccentrically mounted on bearing'pi'ns 9, supported'in brackets'or standards 10. One of the pins 9 is connected to a multi-tumbler lock mechanism 11, so that the member 8 may be given a partial rotation by means of a: key 12.

Pairs of normally spaced spring-contact members 13, 14 and 15 are secured to the plate 3 and are moved to contacting position when the barrel 8 is rotated with the large side thereof toward the said spring members, as shown in Figure 6. A spring arm 16 is secured to thebase 3 and is provided with a hook 17 at its free end. When the device is set as shown in Figure 6 the hook rests against the end of a bar 18of non-conductive material which is secured to the armature 19 of an electromagnet 20. The armature 19 is supported by a spring plate 21 secured to'a post 22 of nonconducting materal. When the magnet 20 is energized and attracts the armature 19 the hook 17 snaps over the top of the bar 18.

g A plate 23 secured to the top ofthe bar 18 is electrically connected as shown in Figure 5, to a plate 24 located on the under side of the bar 18, the plate 24 being adapted to contact with a member 25 when the armature 19 is attracted by the magnet 20 remaining in contact therewith so long as the magnet 20 is energized. The member 25 is connected to the base of the spring arm 16 for a purpose that will presently appear. The bar being released from engagementof the hook 17 when the owner inserts his key in the lock and rotates the barrel to normal open position.

A second electro magnet 26 is mounted on the plate 3 and is adapted when energized, to attract an armature 27, the free end of the armature being normally in en use over; the top of the bar.18.- vcircuit will then be set up from; one side of the battery through the conductor 18, ostl-Z, plates 23:, and 241-and member 25' gagement with a contact member 28, the opposite end of the armature 27 is resiliently mounted, by means of a spring plate 29, to a post 30 located on the plate 3.

A. battery 31 or other source of electrical energy is located on the plate sane an alarm 32 is also carried by the plate, the various parts being electrically connected as will presently appear, I

A cover or housing 33 surrounds the plate 3 and encloses the parts mounted thereon, the sides of the cover extending to the back of the instrument board 1 as clearly shown. The eoveris attached to the plate 3 by a screw 34 threaded into a post 35 which is vsecured to the plate 3. The post 35 is provided intermediate its ends with a notch 36.- A plate 37 secured to the side of the post has a sprin blade 38qextending across the notch 36;an is engaged bythe end of the screw 34- when the same is vdriven to hold the cover 33 in place. In this posi tioncontactbetween the blade-38 and a second plate 39 is broken, remaining so untilthe screwv34 is partiallyreinoved from the post 35, in which case, with the barrel 8 inoperative position,- acircuit will-be established through the blade 38 anclplate 39 and an alarm sounded as will presently appear. 1 Binding posts ell and 11 are provided for the terminalsof the electrical connections leading .to the alarm '32. Other binding" posts 42, 43 and ski-are provided for' connecting to the storage batteryiozt the car and for the conductors to the several parts of the device. r

The operation of the device is as 'followsz- I W Suppose that the owner has locked the car leaving the partsin the position shown in Figure 6 and that anunauthori-zed per son attempts to start the car by closing the ignition switch 2.

A circuit will be established vfrom one side of the storage battery fi through a conductor 16 binding post 43, contacts 15 magnet 20 back to the other side ofthe battery through the bindpost 44 and conductor 4:7,thus' energizing the magnet 29 which attracts thearmature 19, permitting the: hook 17. to snap v An electrical to the post 41, through the alarm," conducvtars t9and. 4:7 ,backato -thefibattery, th-ns soundrngthe alarm.- It will be observed a that should the ignition switch be turned Qfi t this time-the magnet. 20 will-be deenergized and the bar 18 will move back to cause the heel: 1:? to engage the plate 23 vand the alarm: circuit will continue prev ously desc b d-i but hroug the ho k .17 iandaapm instead ottbe pl:

for a would be thief, who thinking to cut the wires might prevent an alarm, in whic h case, a circuit established when the device is locked and. including the battery B, conductor 48, a branch 50, the magnet 26 em ergizing the same and attracting the arena ture 27, thence through the contactsfl l, post 44; and conductor 17 back to the battery, is broken and the armature 27 springs back into COIIttGt with thehojok 28 which 1 establishes a: circuit through the dry cells 31, conductor 51, alarm 32 conductors-49 and 47, wire as, abranch 52 theplate29, armature 27, contact 28, plates. 13 to the battery 31, thus giving an alarm should either orcboth 0t the'wires 47 or #18 be tampered with; i

Shouldan attempt be made to remove the cover 33 by retracting the screw 34;, contact will be made between the plates 38 and 39 and an alarm sounded by'includingtbattery in a circuit through the post 42 conductor 48, a branch 53, contact plates 38 and 39, a conductor 54, alarm 32, conductors 4:9 and et-Tbackto the battery. But one scre-wfc'onnection 34: has vbeen r shown and described it being understood that-any de* sired number may-be used to secure the cover in position on the base. a

it is also to be understood that 1 6' and 17 constitute :a portion of the ignition system Or the en ine; y -Having thus described t is invent-ion IClElilIl'lSI'; I Y i I In a device of the class describedwan ignition circuit; :a main source or energy and; :an ignition switch for saideircnitg-a normally open alarm circuit-including said main source of energy, anelectromagnetically the wires operated switch comprising a coil, and,ai=,

signal; a circuit including said main source of energy, said ignition switch, a; mfiif ually operated switch and the'coil oat saidele'ctro magnetically operated switchgiso that when said manuallyoperated switch is closed and 1 the ignition: switch a is closed, sai-dscircuit will be energized to operate :the electromagn1etically operated switch and close the alarm circuit; an auxiliary-alarm circuit including said slgnal, auxillary sourcecit energy, a manually operated switch and a second electromagnetically operated switch comprising a coil for holding sa deleetromagnetically operated switch open when en erp'ized; a circuit including said main source o twenergy, said second-named electro agnetically eperated switch :ccil and amenu ally operated switch, so that when said last.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN L. CROSSER.

Witnesses:

GENE COVINGTON, SAMUEL A. HART. 

